The Bagel: cheap, versatile, and very tasty...

From humble beginnings in Poland, the modest bagel has become a global favourite, fit for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You probably enjoy the occasional bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese, so here are a few more budget bagel fillings and toppings to try...

Jam

A great breakfast option, few things are more satisfying than a lightly toasted bagel - you'll wonder why you bothered with white bread and butter for all these years.

Whilst it's almost good enough to eat on its own, you might want to trying topping it off with some jam - any jam will do. Washed down with a cup of tea or coffee, and you have a sweet and filling wake-up for the day.

Pastrami

A delicious alternative to the considerably unkosher option of ham or bacon, pastrami is beef smothered with herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. Coat with a generous helping of mustard, perhaps throw in some pickles, and you have a bagel brimming with flavour.

You can usually find pastrami in your local supermarket - Sainsbury's even make their own! - but you might need to dig around the specialist food section. It's worth it though.

Mexican dips

Salsa and guacamole, for example, work suprisingly well when smeared across a bagel. A clash of cuisine cultures that could only emerge from the mind of a student throwing ingredients together, this is a pain-free snack that's a little more exciting than your usual student staples.

Really, the bagel works with everything - sweet and savoury, hot and cold - pick up a pack and experiment.